


And Many More

by Rainah (RainahFiclets)



Series: A Part For You Too [4]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Birthdays, F/M, John being an absent father, M/M, Other, Trans Aaron Burr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-04
Updated: 2016-07-04
Packaged: 2018-07-20 03:18:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7388431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainahFiclets/pseuds/Rainah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five birthday parties, for five people, that are not exactly a good celebration<br/>And one that's progress, at least</p>
            </blockquote>





	And Many More

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cellardoors_and_petrichor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cellardoors_and_petrichor/gifts).



> a gift for my lovely friend cellardoors_and_petrichor, who needs more good birthdays in their life. May you have many more.
> 
> unbeta'd cause I'm on vacation

_Frances, 7 years old_

"Will dad be at my birthday party?"

Her mother looked startled at the question. "What do you mean?"

"When we were at Catherine's birthday, her mom _and_ dad are there. Her dad came back for it."

She didn't understand. They haven't talked about her father a lot, but when she did mom had only good things to say about him. He was a good man who had to go back to America, she said, and he loves her very much. And while she'd never actually met him her father always sent presents, so at least he was thinking of her. There was a large barbie dream house inside, the exact one she'd been wanting (though she can't imagine how he knew that, considering she's never even spoken to him. But it's ok. It's here and it's _awesome_ ). But more than that Frances thought she'd like him here with them.

Now her mother said "It's a little more complicated than that sweetie. Catherine's father was working for a tech company. John's job is a little harder to get time off of."

"What does he do again?" She asked, not entirely sure.

"He works in a hospital I think. Saving people's lives." 

Well, that was good. But she'd rather he saved lives here and attend her birthday party. She told her mother as much.

It made the frown appear between her mother's eyes. "Sweetie," she said slowly, "You know I do my very best for you, right? That you're the most important thing in my world?" 

They'd been through this before, "Yes mom."

"And we get along fine, don't we? You and me and the nanny? We make it work, right?"

"Yes."

"So let's not talk about your father any more today, ok? We'll have some cake and invite your friends over for a movie."

"Ok Mom," she sighed, resigned to not getting a proper answer tonight.

But if she wished for her dad to visit when she blew out the candles, no one had to know.

 

_Eliza, 10 years old_

"Eliza darling, leave that alone. It's time for pictures before your friends arrive."

Eliza sighed, dropping the book back on the table. "They're not my friends."

"They're here for your birthday, aren't they?"

"No, there here for _Angelica's_ birthday. They wouldn't come if it was just my birthday."

"I think you're underselling them Eliza. Kitty and Marty spend lots of time with you outside school. Why don't you come and say hi?"

 _They spend time with me outside of school because I'm always with Angelica and Peggy_ , she thought bitterly, but obediently followed her mother into the house.

On the table were a stack of presents, most addressed _To Eliza and Angelica_. The worst part about joint birthday parties, Eliza thought, was never knowing who was supposed to open what. She took half and Angelica took the other half, swapping gifts when inevitably they opened the wrong ones. The Schuyler sisters were very good at sharing.

"Eliza!" Kitty squealed in the doorway, enveloping her in a hug. "It's so nice to see you! Where are your sisters?"

Eliza bit back another sigh. She loved her Angelica, she really did. She just wished they'd been born more than 5 days apart. Wished she could have something, just once, that was only for _her_. Eliza, instead of Angelica-Eliza-Peggy. A Schuyler sister instead of an individual.

"They're in the den," She said, "Taking pictures I think. Peggy got to wear her new dress."

"Awesome." Marty handed her a gift. _To Angelica and Eliza, with love._ "It's not a party without the Schuyler Sisters."

"Not at all," Eliza's mouth curved into a smile, and lead them to the den.

 

_John, 14 years old_

John couldn't wait to get out of this party. They'd dressed him in his best church suit, cut his hair, and left him to go out of his mind with boredom.

"There's the little man! Got a girlfriend yet?"

John blinks up at the man, trying to remember his name. George? Greg? Diggory? One of his father's work friends who's over often. "No sir."

"Just give it a chance, bet the ladies are all over you. Too young to settle down though, that's my man!" George-Grey-Diggory laughed, and John hesitated a beat before joining it. It's better than staring. "You know what you're going to major in yet?"

That he did know the answer to. "Law, probably, or possibly political science. I'm keeping my options open."

"Just like your old man. Smart too, you didn't get that from him. Ha! If you'll excuse me-" And George-Grey-Diggory, like all the others, mosied off to go talk to someone important.

John looked at the clock, decided three hours was more than enough time to spend at his birthday party, and took off towards the kitchen.

"Jackie! Shouldn't you be at the party?" Andrea, their cook, asked.

"It was boring. They won't miss me."

She clucked her tongue once before pulling him down into a hug. "We'll let it slide just this once-" she always let it slide "-because I have something special for you."

"You do?" He grinned, taking a seat at the little table in the kitchen and propping his elbows up on the table.

"Here!" with a flourish, she dropped a cupcake in front of him, absolutely covered in berries. Stuck in the top was a candle. "Happy birthday Jackie."

He swallowed against the sudden swell of emotion in his throat. "Thank you Andrea. I don't-" Didn't know how to say thank you properly. Didn't know how to express that a single cupcake meant more to him than the entire party upstairs, especially because he knew it almost certainly came out of her salary.

"Eat it!" Andrea ordered, smiling. "Eating is the best thank you."

He cleared his throat. "Only if you'll share it with me."

"One bite," She agreed, and took a forkful. "Happy birthday John."

 

_Aaron, 17 years old_

At fifteen minutes to midnight, Aaron was sitting at his desk. There were law books scattered around, papers and pens, but they were only cover. On the paper in front of him was drawn a very crude birthday cake, seventeen candles all ablaze.

Seventeen. Soon he would be old enough to be on his own. Soon he would be old enough to be who he wanted to be. Until then-

"Still studying?" His uncle's voice startled Aaron back into the present. He shoved the paper under his book, twisting to show the man who'd taken him in that he was indeed working hard.

"You're up too late Erin. Try and get better at that, I won't have anyone say I'm mistreating my niece. Genius is only valuable if it's easy."

"Yes uncle." Aaron said, hoping that would be the end of it. Hoping his uncle would not linger.

"I'm proud of you, you know." the man said instead. "Your parents would be proud too. Who doesn't want a daughter admitted to Princeton before they're a legal adult? But try not to say up so late."

 _They don't, in fact, have a daughter admitted to Princeton. They have a son._ "I'm almost finished studying." Aaron lied. "Then I'm going to bed. I'll see you at breakfast Uncle."

"Alright. Sleep well."

As soon as he'd heard his uncle's footsteps fade down the hallway, Aaron pulled the paper birthday cake back out.

 _Seventeen_ he thought to himself as the clock struck midnight.

Soon he'd be free to make a life for himself, filled with people who really knew him. He just had to keep his mouth shut until then.

Soon.

 

_Alexander, 23 years old_

January 11th came in with a vengeance, a flurry of sleet and snow that left him longing for Nevis and the Caribbean. Going out was out of the question - instead, he and John stayed in and marathoned The West Wing.

Alex was aware, broadly, that most people told their boyfriends when their birthday was. Most people enjoyed doing things on their birthday. While he didn't mind celebrating John's birthday, after two years of dating he had yet to allow John to return the favor.

For two reasons:

Firstly, he was hyperaware of how much older he was than his classmates. While John had taken a gap year, Alex was still two years older. Something he didn't like reminding his boyfriend about.

Secondly, birthdays had always been a family affair when his parents were still around. A side product of having no friends growing up. It would just feel... _wrong_ to celebrate without his family there. He doesn't want to give that up.

But if he could make a birthday wish, laying in John's arms on the sofa with John's hair tickling his cheek as he tried to get a better view of the television, was very close to what he'd wish for. 

"This plotline is crap," John grumbled into the crook of his neck, kissing the spot as if to make up for his words.

"Patience," Alex told him. "It gets better."

(Two weeks later he said, as casually as possible, "My birthday was a few weeks ago. I didn't want to make a fuss but I wanted you to know" and John, bless him, had just nodded and let him go.)

 

_Theo, 1 year old_

"It's just a party, love," Theodosia reminded him dryly. "You know all these people. They're not going to judge you if some detail isn't right."

"Hamilton will," Aaron maintained. 

"Hamilon has a six-month old, he's not going to notice anything but how soon he can go home and nap." She caught him around the waist as he went by, holding him in place for a kiss. "Relax. It's going to be fine."

"I just want it to be special for her," Aaron mumbled against her lips. "Birthdays are important."

"And it will be. Because the people she loves are there, and she's going to have a cake to smear all over her face."

"Yes yes." Both of them looked over at the girl napping soundly in the cot beside him. Little Theo, now starting her second year of life.

He could hardly believe it. Still woke up at night thinking it had all been a dream that he'd wake up and be seventeen in his uncle's house again.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" He said immediately, rushing to the door and leaving his wife to wake their daughter.

"Mr Burr, Sir!" Hamilton chorused as he opened the door, leading the way into the party room. Behind him filed Eliza (and baby Philip, grinning like a maniac), John Laurens, Hercules Mulligan, his sister Sally, and his father in law.

"This is for you," John said, handing him a small box. "Well, for little Theo." He opened it to reveal a large cupcake decorated in all kinds of berries and christened with a single candle.

"And from all of us." Eliza handed over a small bag of gifts. "To Theodosia Jr, with love. And a bottle of wine for you and Theodosia Sr, I can't imagine all the work that went into this."

"Birthdays are important." Aaron said again. "I just want her to know she's loved."

"That's the important part." Alex grinned. "Let's make it a good one."

As his wife brought Theo down the stairs, laughing happily at their friends all assembled, Aaron thought he was doing a pretty good job.

**Author's Note:**

> If you can't tell, it was Martha that bought the barbie dream house and signed it "from dad"  
> (And John will repair his relationship with Frances in a later fic, there will be a reckoning for that)
> 
> As always, my tumblr is [here](http://thellamaduo.tumblr.com/) and you should come talk about Hamilton with me


End file.
